To be hacked off with my neighbour ‘stealing’ my cat!

[HugAHoodie]

Yes I know that cats are independent, will go where they want to go, have no loyalties etc

But a family local to me let my cat into their home every day. I can see him through their windows.

I understand how in warmer months this is difficult to avoid. But they are obviously letting him in.

I’ve spoken to them - at least 3 times - on the last occasion I specifically asked them (politely) to not open the door to him. My DC are upset as cat has basically buggered off and has to be lured into ours with food! The neighbours have said they’re not feeding him.

AIBU to feel pissed off about this and should I go round (again) to ask them to ignore my cat? Or am I being precious (and at least they’re kind to him)

My neighbours cat is a regular visitor to my house, in the summer I have no choice in the matter and in the winter I do let her in sometimes. I have never fed her, she just comes for a fuss. She is from a several cat house so I think she enjoys the peace here and fortunately my neighbour doesn't mind.

I have a similar problem.

My cat started going to a neighbour 18 months ago. They fed her because they thought she was a stray (no idea why; when she had her vaccine boosters the vet said she had to lose a bit of weight 🙄).

From then til now, I’ve been going round and collecting her and then bringing her home. She stays a few days then she’s off again. I got two different spray products from the vet to deter her from their home. I asked them NOT to feed her. They continued.

At Christmas I took flowers and a card and we laughed about the situation. I put her in the box… home she came.

Recently, in the storms, I thought she’d disappeared or maybe been injured so I phoned the elderly couple and she said… “I can’t get her to leave; she’s asleep on the bed” 🤬. Thing is, I can’t keep her in. She’s a rescue and very outdoorsy. Not in winter so much but spring/summer/autumn.

Yesterday, the lady got quite cross with me. I asked if she’d been feeding her… “Yes. A bit of chicken. She loves salmon and Walter thin ham”! WTF! There’s no way she’s coming home!

What can I do?

• wafer thin ham

Any advice for me?

Sorry OP, didn’t mean to hijack your post but we can share the info!

@TheRussianDoll

* wafer thin ham

Any advice for me?

Sorry OP, didn’t mean to hijack your post but we can share the info!

The only thing that helped me with my cat was getting him a tracker that we can set to beep or flash. So if we saw he was in someone's house and we were trying to get him in we'd put it on beep until they let him out. He always comes home then without fail.

Are you in the UK? Cats are considered "property" in the UK. I would go speak to your neighbour and tell them you've seen your cat in theirs and if they take the cat indoors again you will be phoning the police, taking photos of evidence and taking this as far as possible. The theft act 1968 says that if someone finds a lost cat all adequate steps need to be taken to ensure the correct legal owner is found. What your neighbor is doing IS illegal. May be worth changing microchip to a GPS tracker one too. Get your evidence, ring the police, get that neighbor told!! Good luck!!

@TheGreyWitch ahhh, no. I can’t do that. Each time I go I take a little something for them. Nice biscuits or a box if Chocs. They’re so old. No children. He’s 93 and the lady said he’s been poorly over Christmas.

That’d frighten the bejesus out of them 🤣

Keep your cat inside if you don't want it stolen. It's healthier for them, and for the local bird population, anyway.

I’ve “stolen” a cat before.

We had a microchipped cat flap, my old boys chip has slipped and no one can do anything about it apparently so the flap is a free flow.

Scrotey neighbour has 12 cats all not neutered and constantly breeding (been on to everybody, offered to take them for it if they get the vouchers etc).

One of them started coming in the summer when the kids were in the garden, we did fuss her and she started venturing in the house and eating my cats food.

I was worried because she was neutered, cupped and was riddled with fleas. If she had kittens it was likely my house she would give birth at.

Tried to talk to them ask to take her on, refused. I go on holiday for a week, my boy goes to Cattery flap locked. Thought she’d go home. I come back she bedraggled, starving meowing at my door/flap within 10 mins of coming home.

All comes to ahead again, neighbour saying I should keep putting her out the flap me saying cats do as they please you want to stop her coming in my house you keep her in. Finally neighbour sees sense gives her to me so I get her all sorted.

It is a bit weird. Our neighbours cat occasionally tries to come in our house. As much as I love cats I just shoo her out. As she isn't mine!

YABU
Keep you cat indoors and your problem will be solved.

In the previous place I lived, a neighbours cat would jump into my house through an open window on a regular basis.

I don’t have a cat but that would annoy me too.

There is a friendly cat that lives near us, last week it followed me and my children home from school after my teenager stroked it. Beautiful cat but we spent 20 minutes walking it back to its house and trying to hide so it wouldn’t follow us home 😂 I’ve told my daughter not to stroke it anymore lol

My cat is 14 in June. She’s happily roamed free for all of that time. This elderly couple fed her. Now, she won’t leave them alone.

I’m not locking her in. That’s ridiculous. They’ve created the problem, not me.

@SweetPotatoDumpling… exactly! If they keep enticing her, she’s going to “adopt” them!

I’d never make her a prisoner in my home because a neighbour has encouraged her and then decided the cat is no longer welcome.

@Garfieldismyspiritanimal

Yabu If the cat is waiting outside the door, how can you reasonably expect them not to use their door so he can’t come in? If you don’t want your cat to do what cats do, which is basically totally please themselves, then keep him inside your house and garden! No doubt this same cat craps in all the neighbours gardens since it is free to roam but that is ok?

@Garfieldismyspiritanimal 🤣🙄😂

You’re being slightly ridiculous. THEY'VE ENCOURAGED MY CAT FOR 18 MONTHS PLUS!!!! Food/treats/cushions and blankets.

And my cat is a “she”. Read the thread properly, would you?

So, the same happened to us.
I am 59 years old and had cats and dogs my whole life.
Our beautiful tortoise 10 year old cat decided to move next door. they are not reasonable people: there was not point talking about. After paying for insurances and jabs all this years I had enough. I went and offered her to them and with all the silly excuses you can imagine, they didn't want Teardrop. But, when I told them I was going to give Teardrop to another friend, they gave in.
Within 24 hours, I change the insurance and vet details to my neighbours.
There was no point in arguing: she was happier there.

The point is: I will never have cats again.

When I was a kid my mum took in a stray cat, Sam. We already had a cat, dog, gerbils etc and I had three siblings with our friends round a lot. It was a busy household! Sam was a scrapper and we soon had to spend over a grand at the vet when he had a hole ripped in his throat. I think we got him neutered at the same time.

Shortly after he came home from his ordeal he moved next door. They were a lovely quiet couple with a big house with a swimming pool. No pets or kids. He spent many happy years there and used to look at us loftily from the drive, as if to say "fuck off peasants".

If you have a garden use Felisafe cat-proofing

We had a very polite cat that followed the DC home one day because they had made a fuss of him in the street. He came back and sat on our doorstep every day for the next few weeks. I didn’t let him in because, apart from not being our pet, DH is very allergic to cats.
After his persistence wasn’t rewarded, he left, never to be seen by us again!
YANBU, OP, it’s perfectly possible to be enchanted by a quirky cat but not let them into your house because you know they have a home…

I have a cat, that isn't my cat. He's taken up residence in my garden. I don't let him in, but do feed him. His owners know he's here and are happy with this arrangement. He can go home (which is around the corner) anytime and apparently pops back regularly to say hi, but doesn't get on with their other cat and prefers the food at my house!

Some sensible posts on here. Some … not so.

I have seen the lady today. I have offered to give her some food for the cat. She’s still “treating” her so… what can I do? 🤦‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

This is she, on her sheepskin in the spare room. Neglected and abused, as you see!

if you're a cat owner and allow them to roam unsupervised outside, you can't expect them to return. it's irresponsible to the local ecosystem bare minimum, and neglectful to the pet imo.

YABU because they've taken him indoors, when you are neglecting to do so. if you want it to stop, stop letting the cat outside. cheers.

Your cat is stressed at your home. He is not stresed at their home because he is the only cat. Loyalty has nothing to do with it.

Sorry, but if the cat wants to go into their house and they are happy about it, then that's it. You can't enforce your will on the cat. One of mine moved out to a neighbour's place and I only saw him at feeding time, and that went on for years. He only moved back after she died.